


The Devil Went Down to Edo

by stifledlaughter



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Demon Akashi, Devil Went Down to Georgia Au, M/M, Music, Musician Furihata
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-08 05:56:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,742
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21471163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stifledlaughter/pseuds/stifledlaughter
Summary: Akashi is required by his father, the Demon King, to gather the soul of a talented musician before sundown, or else he loses his powers. Surely this musician he finds in the woods is willing to make a deal for a priceless golden violin, and lose the bet - and his soul.But Prince Akashi may be up against a more formidable opponent than he realizes.---"The Devil Went Down to Georgia" AU.
Relationships: Akashi Seijuurou/Furihata Kouki
Comments: 3
Kudos: 87





	The Devil Went Down to Edo

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to this AU!  
1\. I know geographically Kyoto isn't "down" to Edo but it fits the song title to write it that way.  
2\. I know little to nothing of Edo era so the anachronisms are aplenty here!!  
3\. As are violin/fiddle references! I have never even touched one! They sure sound pretty though. I listened to a lot of Appalachian Fiddle Music, Irish jigs, and Lindsay Stirling while writing this.  
4\. All mistakes are mine in references to violins, Edo era, or actually being a musician because I know absolute jack about that as well. I am but a poor monkey at a typewriter, banging out AUs.
> 
> (P.S Shoutout to @bmouse for helping me figure out the plot of this!)

_"You're behind on your quota."_

_Akashi was aware of this. _

_"You've til sundown tonight to get another soul. Or you know the consequences. Don't you, my son?"_

_Akashi was aware of that as well. _

\-----

He traveled for hours, endlessly passing mountains and small towns, leaving Kyoto behind. His residence in the region had left him bereft of souls to take advantage of, and so, he headed towards the capital. What would have taken weeks for humans took him much faster- benefits of being a demon, he supposed. 

Surely there were desperate humans there willing to make a deal. Somewhere in this land.

He didn't know where he was going, but he had to find someone willing to exchange their soul by tonight, or else he would be cast out of Hell and left to wander the earth without his powers. 

He looked down at his violin case in his hand, dark ebony hiding the wondrous gold inside. He had several violins, but he liked the weight of this one in his hands, and the way it shifted with him as he played, like a gentle dance. He was particularly fond of playing Mozart on it. After all, you don't forget stealing a soul like Mozart's. But that man was already corrupted all on his own. (He was still rather frustrated he never got ahold of Vivaldi, as his father was wont to remind him.) 

Akashi's particular niche with soul-collecting dealt with skills or talent. After all, who wouldn't exchange their soul to be given the time to hone their craft, or to have a perfect body that never aged and could be strong until their time came to pass? 

However, he'd been fruitless for months now, and word of his failure had reached the Demon King, who had little patience for a son who would fail him so. 

"_You shame the demon blood inside you. You do not merit your powers or your heritage."_

_"Yes, Father."_

The road he walked on seemed endless and devoid of people. He stopped and pulled out his violin, wondering if something would come to him when he played. It'd been a while since he genuinely enjoyed playing. He laid his case down on a rock nearby and took out his violin, gently stroking the golden, gleaming surface. 

How quiet it all was, his possibly last night as a demon. He felt it should somehow be more dramatic than this. 

And then he heard the most beautiful notes of his life, singing out from down the road. 

He instantly put his violin back in its case and immediately headed towards the sound, stalking silently over. Just around this outcropping of trees, he saw the musician who was drawing him in. 

On the top of a large rock was a young man, playing the violin with great fervor, eyes closed, smiling as he moved with his violin. He looked to be at such peace, but energetic with joy at the same time. 

Akashi was stunned. He felt like his breath was being torn out of his chest to make room for the music that filled him up, like water filling a jug. 

He had to have that soul. He had to be the one to take that music and bring to back to Hell where he could hear that forever. 

"You there!" he called out, stepping out of the trees. "Where did you learn to play violin like that?"

The musician startled and nearly dropped his violin, but Akashi, in a blink, ran over and grabbed it, offering it back up to the young man, who took it hesitantly. 

"Oh, ah- well, you know, lessons and such - _you're a demon!" _He nearly fell off the rock, but slid down and scrambled behind it at the last second, clutching his violin to his chest. His eyes were comically wide as he stared. (Akashi couldn't help but notice that they were a warm shade of golden brown. They would look lovely reflecting the fires of Hell.)

Akashi sighed, well aware that his bright crimson hair, as well as his gold and red eyes, would give him away, despite that he was hiding his wings and claws. "Yes, this is accurate. I am Akashi Seijuurou, son of the Demon King. I am, more specifically, a demon who seeks out artistically and physically talented humans."

The young man blinked, confused, and said, "Oh, ah, you'd best find someone else then. I'm not that skilled."

Akashi frowned. "Are you questioning my judgement? I just heard you play. I've heard thousands of musicians do so. Was that not your instrument just now?"

The young man reddened. "Well, yes, but I don't really practice formally much anymore. I haven't done official lessons in years - I just come out here to play when I'm done working with the other farmhands for the evening. It must just be the acoustics of the woods, or perhaps you heard a bird singing instead of my violin."

Akashi was momentarily distracted from his quest for a soul and now frustrated that this young man, clearly talented, was convinced he was not. Good musical talent should be cherished, not discarded. "Musicians are often critical of their own work. What say your fellow farmhands of your music?" 

The young man shrugged. "Ah, well, they'll dance to just about anything, so that's not saying much. I know Mistress Riko gets on me for letting my music distract me from work, but Kuroko-kun has been quite kind about it, he always compliments my playing style."

Akashi's amber eye twitched. "Kuroko Tetsuya?" 

The young man nodded, tilting his head. "How do you know Kuroko-kun?"

_How did this man see me as a demon but not notice the blue-haired demon he worked with? _"Are you not aware that Kuroko is a demon?" 

The young man laughed, and said, "Oh, right! He used to be but he gave up being a demon to be with Kagami-kun. I didn't even know demons could do that! But he just stopped being one and became a mortal. He's not scary at all, like most demons." Akashi noticed that his companion had been scooting away, centimeter by centimeter, perhaps even unconsciously. 

_So that's where Kuroko went, _mused Akashi. _It would be like him to give up his powers and immortality for a human. _He'd heard of it - demons who purposefully let their duties lapse so they lost their powers and became mortal - but he had never had someone close to him do it.

Well. Formerly close to him. As were the others that he had once called companions. 

"Your name?" asked Akashi, who realized he wasn't aware of it. He was normally better than this, but this entire exchange had thrown him off his usual technique. 

The young man frowned. "Isn't it a thing where if I give you my name, you have control over me?" 

Akashi scowled. "I'm demon, not fae. Your name gives me no control over you." 

After a beat, the young man stopped inching backwards (he was about four steps away from Akashi at this point) and instead met Akashi's gaze, if slightly hesitantly. "I'm Furihata Kouki. I'm pleased to make your acquaintance, Prince Akashi." The formality of his language sounded odd, given the circumstances, and it sounded practiced enough to pique Akashi's curiosity. 

"You weren't always a farmhand, were you?" 

Furihata startled. "I - how did you know?" 

"I can't imagine a farmhand growing up who had formal lessons for the violin," mused Akashi. "Although it seems you've adapted and play it more as a fiddle now." He looked over the young man's body - certainly not weak by any means, but not someone who had been doing farmwork since they could lift a shovel. 

"Well, since you're probably going to kill me after this-" sighed Furihata (_All of these assumptions about demons, _thought Akashi irritably), "I'll have you know that I ran away from my noble parents four years ago. They pushed to me to play grand halls and for nobles, and I simply didn't have the nerves for it. When I broke down on stage at the Imperial Palace after a performance, they said I shamed the family and was to be punished, so I grabbed my violin and ran. I haven't been back to the courts since. But Mistress Riko took me in and gave me work on her farm, and it's all been better since."

"You've played for _the emperor _and you doubt your ability?" Akashi wouldn't say he _squawked _that out, that would be undignified, but the words that came out were extremely surprised. 

"One of many musicians to play at the court," argued Furihata. "And might I stress, after I finished my piece, I collapsed on stage and then ran off after. I think my family's excuse to the emperor was that I had been possessed."

_Humans will blame demons for anything_, grumbled Akashi in his mind, but there were more pressing matters at hand. "Play for me what you played for the emperor." 

Furihata froze. "What?"

Akashi gestured to the open space around them. "There's no crowd here, no emperor. I'm merely a prince, and you don't even serve me the way you served the emperor. Surely your nerves will not strike you now. I heard you playing earlier."

"It's been years and I haven't practiced that piece in forever-"

Akashi sighed. "If you actually think you're going to die after this, you might as well play. You've nothing to lose." 

"Oh yes, that helps my nerves, thanks," Furihata muttered, and then froze. "Oh. That was out loud. Oh no." 

Akashi snorted, pleased to see this little bit of spark in the musician, if briefly. There surely was more there. "If you collapse after this performance I promise not to kill you. That's more than you could have expected from the emperor." 

With a defeated sigh, Furihata hoisted up his violin. "You're right about that." Standing closer now, Akashi noticed how beat up the violin was. It stands to reason that as a farmhand, Furihata couldn't have afforded a new one, and likely it needed upkeep that he wasn't able to provide it. 

"I'll make playing for me worth your while," said Akashi, pulling out his own violin. He caught how Furihata's eyes widened at the sight of the instrument, and shone with envy. "If you play for me, and beat me in a contest of musicianship, you win this golden violin. I can tell yours is beloved but having another will take the strain off of it, and I'll throw in violin strings and resin for eternity for the both of them. And protection from injuries common to violin players - your body will never give out."

Furihata couldn't take his eyes off of the golden violin. In the light of the sun, on its way to descending to sleep, the instrument glowed with an amber light. "I know you're not supposed to make deals with demons but... wow." He then shook his head, snapping out of it. "Hey, hey, what if I lose? What do you get?"

Akashi smiled, showing his sharpened teeth. "Your soul, of course. But I am a fair judge. I would not simply call the competition for myself - I can only take a soul that truly lost in competition to me."

Furihata shook his head at that. "No, no, no." But he kept looking at the violin, and then back at his fiddle, and then back again. Akashi could tell this was not the first time he worried about his violin's upkeep. 

"You probably won't be able to afford new strings or resin on a farmhand's pay," commented Akashi, back in his element as a collector of the talented. "And I can tell how much joy you get from playing. Would be such a shame if that had to stop because you didn't have the right equipment. The world would be a worse off place without your beautiful music." Akashi rarely lied during his seductions - and this was all the truth. 

(Almost... a little too honest, actually.)

Furihata set his violin gently down on the large rock and held out his hands. "I'd like to hold this fiddle before I make any promises."

Akashi smiled. "Of course." He handed it over, and noticed with a surge of triumph that Furihata nearly swooned while holding it. The bow looked like it was made to be in his hand, and the gold of the violin complemented his soft brown hair and wide chestnut eyes. 

"Okay... this is probably the dumbest thing I'll ever do... but then again, collapsing on stage in front of the emperor and running off to be a farmhand is a high bar to beat." Furihata stroked the violin, eyeing its strings with appreciation. 

"Mmmm," murmured Akashi in agreement. "So what do you say? Do we have a deal?" 

Furihata handed back the violin, the yearning evident in his eyes. "I don't think I could live without my music, and I doubt I'm a good enough thief to steal strings and resin for eternity... so... yes. Uh. How do you seal the deal?"

Akashi almost blurted out, "Any way you'd like," as technically, it was all symbolic and he was curious what Furihata might say, (_what he hoped he'd say)_ but instead defaulted to, "A handshake, of course."

Furihata stepped forward, and Akashi blinked a bit at the determination set in his eyes and step now. He held out his hand, which trembled slightly, but he did not move it back when Akashi reached out and shook it firmly. 

_It seems I've summoned the performer in him now_, thought Akashi, quite pleased at this. Akashi settled back and said, "Perhaps you'd feel better if I went first? I'll play a piece only played ever in Hell, and you will play the piece you performed for the emperor."

"Actually... I'll play something else. But I'm sure it will be good enough for a Prince." Furihata's words stirred up something that Akashi had not felt for a while. A drive, competition. 

For the first time in a very long time, he felt eager to play. He took several steps back, to give them some space, as there was about to be company.

"Very well then. Let us begin. But since you are so skilled, I don't think you'll mind if I call for some backup?" And with that, Akashi played a quick spell on his violin, and commanded, "Rakuzan clan, I summon thee!"

The ground beneath him shuddered, and Furihata yelped, eyes wide, rooted to the spot. The air around Akashi crackled with red and gold sparks, and four demons appeared, all of them holding violins themselves.

"Prince Akashi, what's the meaning of this?" demanded one of them, large and imposing. "Also, are the rumors true? About what your father said about you?"

"Silence," ordered Akashi. "You will play backing for me. Try to keep up."

"Oh, this is fun," giggled one of the demons, snapping a fan in front of her face. Her eyes flickered over Furihata, and she grinned. "What a pretty little soul you've found, my Prince." Another demon, blond, bared his teeth in a grin as well, sizing Furihata up.

The last demon, pale and ghostly, looked like he wanted to speak as well, but Akashi began to play, and they dutifully pulled out their bows and played along.

Akashi's violin sang with strength and fervor, and backed by the Rakuzan clan, it was sensuously powerful. He saw Furihata stare in awe at their music, at how they played together. He'd had his clan under him since the collapse of his former group. Sometimes he remembered the discordance, how cacophonous it got as they shredded themselves to pieces before, and how he never wanted to feel that again. 

(He'd never heard strings shriek like that before. He was too far gone to recognize it as screaming near the end.)

Akashi kept eye contact with Furihata, who seemed drawn in, his hands unconsciously moving with the music. Akashi played out the last long, singing note before lowering his violin. "Rakuzan, you are dismissed."

"You aren't even going to answer my question, are you?" grumbled the imposing demon, but the beautiful demon swatted him with her fan. 

"Shh! You heard your orders. We're leaving." She cast a glance over at Akashi, and held it for a moment before turning back to the rest of her clan. She snapped her fan, and the air sparkled blue and white, and they disappeared. 

Furihata looked rattled but also resolute, Akashi noticed, once more feeling surprised and pleased. 

"That was pretty good," said Furihata, picking up his beloved old violin and looking down fondly at it. "But you were missing something."

Akashi blinked. "Oh? Do tell." 

"I don't tell with my music," said Furihata, his confidence simmering to the top as he prepped himself to perform. "I show." And with that, he began to play. 

Akashi didn't recognize it, but he was hooked. The music pulled something out of him that had been laying dormant for years, something he hadn't touched in quite while. And the exact thing that he knew that Furihata had to be referring to that Akashi had been lacking. 

It was _joy._

Furihata swayed with his violin, his face lighting up with a brightness and happiness that Akashi had not felt in so long. His music evoked images of the sun above, a light held in cupped palms, the warm fire at the end of a hard day. 

Akashi began to move with the music as well, slightly rocking his hips and shoulders as he watched the musician before him perform what he could only describe as the song the sun sings when it rises. In the glow of the setting sun, Furihata's body was illuminated, backlit, and he looked like the personification of his music.

In that moment, he knew he had to give the violin to Furihata. He knew that he had to give him resin and strings for eternity, as well as a body that would remain unharmed by the damage that was the price to pay for being a musician. This music _had _to continue in the world. Akashi was a musician first, demon second, which was something he had not quite realized until now. And a musician knew that this sort of talent was rare to find and it must be preserved. 

He also knew that, since the sun was setting, so was his time as a demon. That did not cause him the pain he expected. Not after hearing this music. 

Furihata held the last note out, and then, sighing, lowered his bow. He opened his eyes and then startled as he saw Akashi kneeling at his feet, presenting the golden violin.

"I know when I've been beat," said Akashi. Furihata lifted the violin up, now holding both instruments in his hands in awe. "This is yours, as is all I promised. You simply need to designate a box in your possession to be your replacement strings and resin box, and it will never empty. As for your body..." Akashi snapped his fingers, and Furihata gasped as he briefly glowed red and gold, and then dimmed. "Done. You cannot sustain injuries now that would stop you from playing. Congratulations, Furihata Kouki." He rose, giving a bow to Furihata, who looked too stunned to react at first.

"I can't believe- I - thank you, thank you," said Furihata, his eyes shining. But then he reached out and grabbed Akashi's hands, and the demon was startled. He had not had anyone willingly touch him in - since - well, he actually couldn't remember. "What was your demon friend saying about your father?" demanded Furihata. "What does that mean?" 

Akashi smiled wryly. "The sun sets in a minute or so. My father demanded I take at least one soul by sundown or I lose my demonhood and powers." He glanced over at the sun, which was dipping lower and lower. "But I was beat, and I... do not mind." How rare it was to feel this acceptance of defeat so easily, but he knew that this was the right decision.

Furihata squeezed his hands. "Quick! Before you lose your powers, make two more violins. Now!" 

Akashi was not used to be ordered to do anything by anyone other than his father, but he acquiesced, conjuring two more beautiful wooden violins next to Furihata's. "Is two not enough for you? How greedy."

Furihata laughed. "No! Those are for you. Once you lose your powers, you can stay with me. We can make music. I'll teach you how to play with joy again."

"I... would like that," said Akashi, and then the sky became darker as the sun slipped below the horizon. "Ah. There we are." He knew his father wouldn't come to him personally to remove his powers. It would be done remotely and coldly, as was every interaction with his father.

He glowed red and gold briefly, and felt his chest constrained for a moment before he dropped to the ground, breathing heavily. He checked his hands and tried to grow his claws - nothing. He flexed his shoulders and no wings appeared. Tongue ran over his teeth - they were omnivorous. 

Lost in thought, he didn't notice until Furihata's hand tapped his head that he looked up.

"Both of your eyes are red now," said Furihata with awe. "But it's all still an unnatural red - your hair, your eyes. That didn't change." 

"Are they now?" said Akashi, running a hand through his hair. "A lingering mark of my time as a demon, I suppose." 

"I think it looks really nice," said Furihata, who then blushed. "Oh- ah- let me help you up." He pulled Akashi up with both hands, and then didn't let go. "Are you sure it was worth it?" 

"What was that song you were playing?" asked Akashi in response, not answering the question for the moment. He'd been eager to know the song since it first started.

Furihata smiled. "Oh, just some improvisation. That's what really brings me joy, and that's how I knew I'd win. I'll have to really write that particular improvisation down sometime. though... After all, not just any song can beat a demon prince, right?"

Akashi smiled as he continued to hold some of the most talented hands he'd ever encountered. "Correct. And yes. It was absolutely worth it." 


End file.
